(you can download this little GUI here)
Sanbarrow.com
VMX-file parameters
- pci-slots-assignment
Lets populate the PCI-slots.
A VM has 6 PCI-slots.
The first slot is always used by the VMware-SVGA II.
You can fill the next 5 slots with these devices:
Buslogic-SCSI-controller
LSI-logic-SCSI-controller
AMD-ethernet
VMX-ethernet
e1000-ethernet
Soundcard
To add one of max. 4 Buslogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "buslogic" "vmxbuslogic" for ESX for ESX 2.x
To add one of max. 4 LSIlogic-SCSI-controllers add this lines:
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic" "vmxlsilogic" for ESX for ESX 2.x
To add one of max. 4 AMD-ethernet-cards add this lines:
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vlance"
To add one of max. 4 VMXnet-ethernet-cards add this lines:
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet"
To add one of max. 4 e1000-ethernet-cards add this lines:
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
To add a soundcard - either a Soundblaster or a ES1371 - add this lines:
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "sb16"
or
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualDev= "es1371"
What happens if I add more than 5 PCI-devices?
In case you order
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"
you will get
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi1.present = "TRUE"
scsi2.present = "TRUE"
scsi3.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
The free 5 PCI-slots are assigned following this priority-list:
1. Buslogic-SCSI-controller
2. LSI-logic-SCSI-controller
3. AMD-ethernet
4. VMX-ethernet
5. e1000-ethernet
6. Soundcard
In case you don't get the results you expect, please keep in mind that
sometimes VMware uses silent-defaults.
If you order
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"
you will get
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet3.present = "TRUE"
The reason for this strange behaviour is simple: VMware assumes
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
for every VM. If you want no SCSI-controller you have to specify
scsi0.present = "FALSE"
What happens if I add a SCSI-controller ?
Above you see the PCI-slots of a VM. On the left we have a VM with 4 Nics
....
let's add a SCSI-controller just to find out what happens.
The SCSI-controller exchanges slots with the first nic - every nic moves one slot.
For a Windows-guest the scenario described results in up to 4 phantom-nics.
That can be cured easily - but keep this behaviour in mind when debugging
some strange occurances.